Timperley Care Home manager's marathon success

Being a care home manager can sometimes feel like a long-distance race, working long hours to keep residents well cared for and staff happy.

However, alongside running busy Timperley Nursing Home and preparing for a Care Quality Commission inspection, Katrina Hay, 33, has been training for her first marathon.

And on Sunday, cheered on by her family and the vast crowds, she completed the 26.2 miles in her home city of Manchester in four hours 44 minutes.

Katrina ran every step of the way with her friend, local NHS manager Lorna Kerfoot, and their efforts jointly raised about £200 for Alzheimer’s Society through sponsorship.

She said: “The atmosphere was amazing, your name was printed on your race number so people were shouting out, ‘come on Katrina’.

“The last few miles were tough and I was hurting but I told myself, ‘you don’t want to walk’.”

Katrina was cheered on by her husband Lee, who ran around the course to greet her in seven different places, her sisters Jemma and Eleanor and her daughters Skylar, eight, and six-year-old Fifi.

She said: “I started running with friends 18 months ago, at first building up to 5km and then extending it to 10km and the half marathon distance.

“It has been a hectic time preparing for the CQC inspection – we happily ended up with a Good rating but going for a quick run after work is a great way to de-stress.”

To avoid disruptions to family life, she has been going out early for a long weekend run.

Katrina confesses she has now got the marathon bug and has entered the ballot for next year’s London Marathon.

Find out more about Timperley nursing home

Author: Stephen Pullinger